The first semi-finalists of the EHF European Cup Women 2021/22 will emerge this weekend. In the only double-header of the quarter-finals, titleholders Costa del Sol Malaga host Icelandic side IBV Vestmannaeyjar in Spain on Saturday and Sunday.
- in two previous rounds, Malaga defeated Dutch teams: H.V. Quintus and JuRo Unirek VZV
- Vestmannaeyjar have played a double-header in each round this season: in round 2 against A.C. PAOK away in Greece, in round 3 against AEP Panorama and in the Last 16 against Sokol Pisek both at home in Iceland
- if Malaga advance, they will meet a fellow Spanish team in the semi-final, as Visitelche.com Bm Elche take on Rocasa Gran Canaria with the first leg scheduled in Elche for Sunday
- among the remaining first-leg matches, ZRK Bekament Bukovicka Banya welcome Slovakian side HC DAC Dunajska Streda in Serbia
- three second-leg matches are scheduled for the next weekend: 19/20 February
H71 looking for more heroics
H71, playing their debut European season, have already written history: no team from the Faroe Islands have made it to the quarter-final of a European club competition before.
Starting in round 2, they eliminated WHC Cair-Skopje, SPONO Eagles and ZRK Naisa Nis and won five of their six encounters. Next up are Ukrainian champions HC Galychanka Lviv in the quarter-final.
The first leg takes place in Lviv on Sunday when H71 will try put on another impressive performance and keep their semi-final dream alive.